Astros notes: Look at the bright side

Share this:

The Astros built their team on the premise that pitching would be one of their strengths. They entered Saturday’s game against the Brewers 28th out of 30 teams in ERA (5.09) and last in runs allowed (113 in 20 games).

Oh, and in last place in the National League Central.

The Astros had a 4.09 ERA last season — 3.69 after the All-Star break.

“I don’t get too caught up in the numbers, where we are in the ERA race,” pitching coach Brad Arnsberg said. “We recognize the negative, and we’re going to work on the negative, but 80 percent of my job is focusing on the positive things these guys bring to the table.

“There’s so much negativism in this game. That’s why I try to take the complete opposite approach and talk to them about all the positive things they can take out of their outings. ‘You went an inning and two thirds and you gave up a three-spot, but …’ The buts are very important.”

Brett Myers and Bud Norris are the only Astros starters with ERAs below 5.

Arnsberg looks at J.A. Happ (6.94) and today’s starter, Wandy Rodriguez (5.48) and sees two lefthanders who have deceptive numbers. Take Happ’s 42⁄3-inning, six-run outing in a 9-1 loss to the Mets on Thursday.

“It was the best I’ve probably seen him, and he gave up a six-spot,” Arnsberg said. “I concern myself about turn the page, worry about what we’re going to do tomorrow now that we’ve got nothing we can do about today — whether it was good, bad or indifferent.

“How are we going to get better tomorrow?

“It really comes down to that mental edge. That mental edge is 90 percent of the game to me, maybe 95. They wouldn’t be here if they weren’t talented.

“I tell so many guys, ‘If you believe in your stuff like I do, you’ll walk right through this. It’s never easy, but it will be easier if you believe like I believe.’

“I think that’s the kind of staff we have right now.”

Clearing the air

Manager Brad Mills said he had a series of emails and phone calls Saturday with Major League Baseball headquarters about Friday night’s ejections.

Plate umpire Paul Schreiber ejected pitching coach Brad Arnsberg in the second inning after a discussion about the strike zone got heated. When Mills came out to intervene, chief crew Joe West came in from second base and issued an ejection.

Mills said he reached out because he wanted to give his side of the story to Joe Torre, MLB’s executive vice president for baseball operations.

“It was a good conversation,” Mills said. “It was all good.”

Astros starter Nelson Figueroa had more balls (43) than strikes (42) on Friday. After two walks on nine pitches to start the second inning, Arnsberg came out for a visit that led to the two ejections.

“I take total blame for it, and I didn’t go out with the intention of getting tossed out of the game,” Arnsberg said. “I was just hoping we could get the zone opened up a little bit, or we’re really going to have a real, real long evening, which we ended up having anyway.”

Rotation remains intact

The ERA of No. 5 starter Nelson Figueroa soared to 8.55 after a rough outing Friday. Astros manager
Brad Mills said Figueroa, who gave up six runs, six hits and five walks in a 14-7 defeat, remains in the rotation.

“I don’t know if it’s fair to him to hold a gun to his head after (Friday’s) performance,” Mills said. “He’s still in there.”

Odds and ends

Bill Hall had his first three-hit game as an Astro on Saturday, with two coming off Brewers starter Shaun Marcum. In 10 career at-bats against Marcum, Hall has seven hits (.700 average), with three home runs and six RBIs. … The Astros had their third multiple-homer game of the season, with Carlos Lee going deep in the first inning and Hunter Pence in the third. That brings their total to 11 (last in the National League) in 21 games. … Brett Myers has worked at least six innings in 37 of his 38 starts with the Astros.